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PD MPs to vote ‘unequivocally’ in favour of equal marriage

Monday, 26 June 2017, 17:36Last update: about 3 years ago

Partit Demoktratiku MPs Marlene Farrugia and Godfrey Farrugia will 'unequivocally' be voting in favour of proposed amendments to the Civil Marriage Act of 1975. The Bill will be discussed later today in Parliament.

"Marriage does not have one, monolithic definition and like everything else, it should reflect changes that will be wrought by this Bill, which reflect the need for society to be flexible in the face of constant change," the party stated in a press release.

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"The Bill is important not simply because of the immense steps it will sow in society - it is important because, if we truly believe in an equal society, recognition and respect for the diverse expressions of equality need to be legislated for. There is no such thing as equality if this is asymmetrical. A lack of equality for one group undermines effective equality for all members of Maltese society; it marginalises people. The changes the Bill puts forward have important implications for diversity, generally, and for equality, in all its expressions, in our society. This includes the equality of women."

"It is crucial that LGBTIQA couples are afforded equal rights before the law, the same protections and benefits, and that their families are not just equal in terms of status but also in name. What's in a name? Everything in this case," the press release went on to say. They added that the bill ", is not just about equality for LGBTIQA persons but about modernising marriage and nuancing society's understanding of it. This requires a doing away with social constructs traditionally associated with marriage, that are counterproductive to the pursuit of true equality. Genderising marriage does not strengthen equality, it perpetuates constructs that undermine it. "

"Partit Demokratiku celebrates that fact that huge strides, in terms of legislation and protection, have been made. However, it remains absolutely crucial that these changes are mirrored on the ground; that Maltese society is able to openly and thoughtfully discuss what these changes reap in substantive terms." The press release went on to say that education and knowledge regarding these changes is also needed. "Progress made should be engrained in our collective social conscience,"they said, adding that "these issues remain sensitive and are often still met with resistance in some quarters."

"The role of Parliament should be to provide leadership in this discussion and facilitate dialogue," the press release stated.